In Jay MacLarty's fictional universe, Simon Leonidovich is the best
at what he does, which is to make deliveries of just about anything
--- documents, computer discs, whatever you want --- quickly.
MacLarty has infused his character with a unique appeal. By no
means is Leonidovich a tough guy, which makes him more believable
than many in the thriller genre. He doesn't drop kick through doors
or scissor-jump his way out of cars the way I saw someone else in
his chosen field do in a movie recently. What Leonidovich can do,
however, is think on (and with) his feet, a skill that has served
him in good stead and that he utilizes once again in LIVE
WIRE.


LIVE WIRE is the third of the Leonidovich novels, and it is
possibly the most ambitious one to date. Leonidovich is retained to
transport different sets of documents back and forth between the
United States and North Korea. The whole setup seems a little
bizarre to him, and sure enough, he's been selected as both the
vessel and sacrificial lamb as part of a plot to carry out a
coup d'etat upon the U.S. government. Leonidovich doesn't
sacrifice well, however, and the plot begins to unravel almost from
its unfortunate beginning. The problem is that Leonidovich knows
much more than is good for him, even though he really doesn't know
much at all.


One thing he doesn't know is that an old and deadly adversary of
his has been unleashed, one who will stop at nothing to avenge
himself upon Leonidovich and who is greatly looking forward to
getting the job done. Leonidovich may have the might and majesty of
certain elements of the United States government against him, but
he is not without resources of his own. Big Jake Rynerson is there
to help, of course, as is Victoria Halle, Leonidovich's intrepid
assistant. And, interestingly enough, resolution is obtained on at
least one front with assistance from a somewhat unexpected
source.


LIVE WIRE is perhaps not quite as tight a novel as its
predecessors, THE COURIER and BAGMAN, but it's still great fun and
a rapid read that will give fans of MacLarty and Leonidovich their
money's worth. This is a series that should continue to enlarge its
fan base for quite some time to come.